Ho Youth Demo Against Creation of New Region

Ho — The youth of the Asogli State in collaboration with the Coalition of Volta Youth yesterday demonstrated against plans by the government to carve out a new region out of the Volta Region.

The demonstrators, wearing warriors' attires marched through the streets of the regional capital and made a brief stop- over at the Asogli Palace at Ho-Bankoe.

They there presented their petition to Togbe Howusu XII, Awafiaga of Asogli, before continuing to the Regional Volta Coordinating Council (VRCC) where a copy of the petition was received by the Regional Coordinating Director, Mr Felix B. Chaahaah, on behalf of the Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, who was away on an official duty.

At the Asogli Palace, a spokesman of the demonstrators, Simon Kofi Ohene, gave the chiefs a 14-day ultimatum to declare their stance on the issue of dividing the region into two.

The eight-point petition, read in part, that the creation of an additional region was not a requirement for development since there were administrative regions and territories much larger than the Volta Region.

Furthermore, the petition stated that "the creation of new regions and districts continuously fragments the country along ethnic and tribal lines which does not promote peace and harmony but rather leads to mistrust and disunity among the people".

On his part, Togbe Howusu, who is also the Dufia of Ho-Dome said that if the government had plans to divide the region, then it was duty-bound to consult the chiefs of the entire region over the issue and not just chiefs from certain areas of the region.

"The chiefs of southern Volta have not been consulted by government over any such plan and so we cannot give it out backing," he affirmed.

The Awafiaga of Asogli maintained that there was no need to divide Volta Region before implementing development projects in the area.

"Funds for re-demarcating the region can be used now to start new development projects in the region," Togbe Howusu added.

He cited the dual highway project from Sokode to Ho among other development projects in the region, which the current government promised to continue, but had now abandoned and sought to know how the division of the region could facilitate development in the region.

Togbe Howusu commended the youth for carrying out the demonstration in peaceful manner and readily standing up to defend the good of the Volta Region.

At the VRCC courtyard, Mr Chaahaah assured the demonstrators that the petition would reach the regional minister in good time.

Some of the placards carried by the demonstrators read: 'One Volta One People', 'Volta Is Not on Sale' and 'Volta Needs Development and not Division', among others.